Army Corps of Engineers officials urge water safetyPLAINVIEW -- Nimrod and Blue Mountain lakes are open for business as visitors from the region plan for a fun Memorial Day holiday weekend at the lake. But Army Corps of Engineers officials caution visitors that high lake levels have made boating and swimming more hazardous on Nimrod Lake. Officials advise swimmers, boaters and anglers to prepare for these conditions. All boat launch ramps and swim beaches on Nimrod Lake are closed because of t...

Commission OKs building improvementsThe Russellville Downtown Historic Commission approved a certificate of appropriateness for two buildings on South Commerce Avenue during its regular meeting Thursday at City Hall. Matt White of TMA Holdings submitted a certificate of appropriateness (COA) for 114 and 116 South Commerce Avenue. Commissioners voted to approve the COA and recommended the awnings be brought down to line up with front doors and windows. Commission Chairman Greg Ba...

State Capitol Week in ReviewLITTLE ROCK -- The state Higher Education Coordinating Board began work on a new funding formula for colleges and universities, based on legislation enacted during this years' regular session. Act 148 of 2017 directs to board to adopt a funding formula based on productivity measures such as the number of students who complete their degree requirements. The previous formula was based more on enrollment. The new formula also takes into account f...

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FROM SENATOR GREG STANDRIDGE The Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Arkansas Tech students selectedcontinued from 9A Melanie Finley Senior, Beebe A former secretary for the International Association of Emergency Managers student chapter at Arkansas Tech, Melanie Finley also held membership in the Residence Hall Association, Service Members and Veterans of America, National Residence Hall Honorary, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Division of Student Services conduct board, Red Cross on Campus and the National Society of Collegiate ...

Reading program scheduledThe Pope County Library’s annual summer reading program (SRP), “Building a Better World,” will officially kick off on Saturday, June 3. Registration is now open for the children’s program, toddlers through 12. The kickoff will be June 3 at the library and will include recycling activities such as repurposing old DVD cases and newspapers. Participants will also receive their reading logs during the kickoff event. Participants will set their own...

Drivers can go online to find travel information for holidayLITTLE ROCK -- The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) reminds drivers to "know before you go" and visit IDriveArkansas.com before traveling this Memorial Day holiday weekend. Extensive highway improvements continue in the state and with those improvements come work zones. To aid in holiday travel, the AHTD has been working hard to open as many lanes as possible. Still, travelers will likely face work zones and possible...

Commissioners discuss self-service fuelThe Russellville Regional Airport Commission discussed providing self-service for Jet A fuel customers during its regular meeting Tuesday at the airport terminal. Director Keith Frazier said he has talked to the airport's fuel provider, Eastern Aviation Fuels, about the possibilities of installing self-service capabilities for Jet A customers, primarily for Survival Flight's medical helicopter. The airport installed a self-service station for ...

Smith to give recital SaturdayYou might say music is in Noah Smith's blood. His father, Tim Smith, is a professor of music at Arkansas Tech University. His mother, Kristin Smith, is a cellist in the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra. As such, music has been a significant part of his life for as long as he can remember. "It really is in my blood," he said. "I started piano when I was 5 years old. I took lessons and still am taking lessons. I started the bassoon in the band in six...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSONsimpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Authorities say man raped teenTerry L. Scott, 38, was arrested after a woman filed a report alleging he sexually assaulted her daughter, who is 14. According to testimony given in felony bond hearings on Wednesday, Scott allegedly had intercourse with the victim despite her telling him "no" several times. Det. Steve Barker with the Russellville Police Department told District Judge Don Bourne that investigators monitored Scott's social media conversations, which seemed to ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
simpson@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Ola talks plans for old school buildingOLA — The Ola City Council recently met to hear updates on the fun park, hear from residents about a new committee and discuss the possibility of the city using the old high school building. Alderman Ronald Osterhout said the city has continued discussions with Two Rivers Superintendent Nathan Morris about the possibility of moving city offices to the old Ola High School building on Hill Street. Now, the discussions have been turned over to bo...

ATU Summer Culinary Institute for Girls returns for 2017The 2017 Arkansas Tech University Summer Culinary Institute for Girls is scheduled for June 5-9 at Chambers Cafeteria in Russellville. Cost for the camp is $75 per person, which includes a chef coat for each participant. Online registration and more information is available at http://www.atucampsandconferences.com/culinary-camp.cfm through the registration deadline of Friday, May 26. The ATU Summer Culinary Institute for Girls is open to femal...

Jerry's Juniors event scheduled for June 2High school students who will be juniors during the 2017-18 academic year are invited to attend the second annual Jerry's Juniors college preview day at Arkansas Tech University on Friday, June 2. Students attending Jerry's Juniors will participate in a free ACT test prep session, meet campus ambassador Jerry the Bulldog, receive a free T-shirt, eat lunch at Chambers Cafeteria and take a tour of campus. A session designed specifically for pare...

Lightning on Ludwig starts June 9CLARKSVILLE -- The National Boat Racing Association (NBRA) recently announced that it will host the Third Annual North and South Shootout Championship boat races at Lake Ludwig in Clarksville, on June 9-11. Featured in the competition is "stock and modified outboard hydroplane and runabout racing." Test racing will be conducted from noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 9. Racing times will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. that Saturday and from noon to 5 p...

November trial set in hotel murderCONWAY -- The man accused of killing a Russellville native will be tried for capital murder in November in Faulkner County Circuit Court. The trial of Scotty Ray Gardner, 56, of Mayflower will begin Nov. 27 and is scheduled for two weeks. Prosecutors said Tuesday after a hearing in Conway that they are "not going to come off" seeking the death penalty for Gardner, who is charged with the strangulation of Susan "Heather" Stubbs. Stubbs, who gre...

Riding for a reasonRepresentatives from Russellville Police Department, Pope County Sheriff’s Office, Russellville Fire Department and Arkansas State Park Rangers biked from one end of the Pope County line to the other Wednesday as part of the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run. The purpose of the Torch Run, a 30-year-old event, is to raise awareness and funds for Special Olympics. Each year, law enforcement conducts the torch runs or bicycle runs from all four co...

Russellville puts indoor practice facility on holdThe Russellville School Board decided to put a multi-purpose indoor facility on hold and approved several consent items and policies during a recent meeting. Chris Cloud, board president, explained because of unexpected additional staffing requirements, the board agreed to put the indoor multi-purpose facility on hold for the time being. The district will receive its official assessment abstract concerning the increase in budget for the additi...

City Planning Commission recommends El Paso projectThe Russellville Planning Commission voted unanimously during its meeting Monday to recommend rezoning property currently R-3 to Planned Unit Development (PUD) on North El Paso Avenue for the Village, a mix-use development that will include 260 residential units and over 21,500 square feet of retail space. Commissioners also approved the preliminary plat for the project. J. Brent Salter, vice president of Salter Properties LLC of Conway, said ...